Insurance

State Hires Consumer Group To Help Review Health Insurance Rates

April 4, 2013 · Mark Reback

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has irritated the insurance industry and surprised public-policy analysts by hiring Consumer Watchdog, a vocal insurance industry critic, to assist in reviewing health insurance rate increases, the<a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0403-insurance-critic-hired-20130403,0,5476273.story" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Los Angeles Times</a> reports. In a one-year contract worth up to $88,000, Consumer Watchdog will supplement the rate review process already done by the insurance department. From the Los Angeles Times:

California Turns to Consumer Group for Help with Health Insurance Rates Review

April 4, 2013 · Mark Reback

The California insurance department has called on Consumer Watchdog to help review health insurance rates increases following Commissioner Dave Jones' censure of Anthem Blue Cross L&H Insurance Co.'s small-group rate increases, the Los Angeles Times reported April 3. The insurance department and Consumer Watchdog inked a one-year contract, which could amount to about $88,000, under which the consumer group will supplement the department's own rates review.

Insurers Cry Foul As State Official Hires Foe

April 3, 2013 · Mark Reback

The commissioner's enlistment of Consumer Watchdog to help review health rates raises eyebrows. Callifornia Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones lashed out Tuesday at another double-digit rate hike for thousands of small businesses getting their health insurance from industry giant Anthem Blue Cross.

Insurers Keen On Retaining Power Over Premiums

March 27, 2013 · Mark Reback

While most of us face uncertainty with the rollout of healthcare reform, some insurance companies in California have been feeling their oats lately. Here's how they're responding to Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones' warnings that their latest rate increases are unreasonable: Stuff it, Dave.

Big Week for Insurance Consumers

March 25, 2013 · Pam Pressley

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2621" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/images_justicescale_0.jpg" style="width: 163px; height: 120px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="163" height="120" />Our Legal Team had a busy week last week, with two big auto insurance rate victories and significant steps forward in our legal cases against insurance company abuses. Here are some highlights of our accomplishments just this past week: 1) Slashed Farmers' requested auto rate increase in half from 6.9% to 3.5% 2) Lowered So Cal Auto Club auto insurance rates by -4.1%

Gas Prices Going Up, Up, Up

March 24, 2013 · Mark Reback

Are you ready for $6-per-gallon gasoline? Then $7 a little later? Premium grades of gasoline already go for more than $5 per gallon in some parts of California; regular skyrocketed to above $4.50 for a month at hundreds of service stations. There is no promise these near-record price levels will drop anytime soon, especially with summer approaching and refiners making more expensive California-specific blends for the next few months.

Just Say ‘No’ To Rate Hikes

March 24, 2013 · Mark Reback

"There you go again." That famous phrase was uttered in a debate by presidential candidate Ronald Reagan in response to his perceptions of incumbent Jimmy Carter's mischaracterizations. More than 30 years later, it can just as easily be applied to the latest round of health insurance increases by California companies.

DTSC Director Issues Response To Scathing Report On Agency Managers

March 22, 2013 · Mark Reback

Toxics department director Debbie Raphael this week issued a statement on the agency's website defending its top managers and policies against a recent, scathing report by a non-profit environmental watchdog group alleging that the agency has a history of mismanaging hazardous waste and lax enforcement that puts many low-income communities at risk.

Insure.com study on auto insurance rates: misleading and unreliable

March 20, 2013 · Doug Heller

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2618" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/images_insurance-foto-300x200.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="300" height="200" />Yesterday, the insurance sales website Insure.comreleased a poorly constructed and remarkably misleading study on auto insurance rates. (More surprising, perhaps, is the fact that some journalists uncritically posted the study as news.)

Blue Cross ‘Bait And Switch’ Class Actions Move Forward

March 7, 2013 · Mark Reback

Law360, Los Angeles -- A California judge on Wednesday tentatively trimmed two putative class actions accusing Blue Cross of California of using “bait and switch” strategies to unilaterally increase annual deductibles and premiums midyear, ruling in part that the Consumer Legal Remedies Act doesn't apply to buying health insurance.

Health Premium Increases Meet Resistance

March 7, 2013 · Mark Reback

Hundreds of thousands of Californians covered by the state's largest health insurers are facing double-digit premium hikes, and regulators and consumers are pushing back. On Thursday, the state insurance commissioner said <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/?controllerName=search&action=search&channel=health&search=1&inlineLink=1&query=%22Blue+Shield+of+California%22">Blue Shield of California</a>'s proposed health premium increases - averaging 11.7 percent for most policyholders, but nearing 20 percent for some - were unreasonable.

Anthem Blue Cross Customers Pursue Case Over Changing Deductibles

March 6, 2013 · Mark Reback

Some Anthem Blue Cross policyholders are pressing a court fight over the company's midyear changes in annual deductibles and other limits on out-of-pocket medical costs. Dave Jacobson, a film production supervisor in Santa Monica, is one of the plaintiffs who filed suit against Anthem over the changes in 2011. Jacobson, who bought his Anthem policy in 2000, said the company increased his annual deductible from $500 to $550. Meantime, he said, his premiums have doubled in the past five years.

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